Thoughts from the midst of a pandemic.

Back in March 2020, we were lucky enough to spend two weeks in Peru exploring the Andes, the cloud forest and the jungle. While we were over there the world was beginning to worry about a virus said to have originated in China. The virus had made its way via many human hosts to Europe and was wreaking havoc in Italy.

Meanwhile, South America was a safe haven away from the chaos. We hadn’t really been following the news on a daily basis. This was mainly because we didn’t always have phone signal in remote areas. We were also super busy hiking and exploring most of the time. We were aware of the virus, but felt we were safe in Peru for now.

When our adventures in Peru came to an end on the 14th March, we headed for Toronto for our planned stopover. In Lima, at Jorge Chavez International Airport, we noticed a few groups of staff in full PPE. However, when we arrived in Canada, there still seemed to be little worry surrounding the pandemic. A few of the airport staff were wearing masks, but that was it. We headed to our hotel and everything felt more or less normal, apart from a few tourist attractions being closed.

We spent two days in Toronto and it wasn’t until we left on the 16th that the whole situation felt a bit more serious. Our flight back home was less than half full. Next to no one was travelling to the UK. Despite feeling a little more nervous about the pandemic, it was probably the comfiest flight I’ve ever experienced. I had a whole row of seats to myself, that I could spread out and sleep across. First class? Who needs it!

Arriving back in the UK, everything felt a lot less serious than I expected it to. Airport staff were not even wearing masks like they were in Peru and Canada. The only thing out of the ordinary was how quiet Heathrow was. One of the busiest airports in the world felt pretty empty. We made our way to the bus station and eventually hopped on our coach and headed back home. 

We were both due to go back to work the next day. I had no idea what to expect given the situation. Lots of people were already working from home, so I assumed we would end up doing the same. I headed to work the next morning as usual only to head back home at about midday with my laptops. I would be working from home until further notice. At this point I honestly thought it would only be for a couple of weeks.

At the time of writing this post, it had been over a month since we arrived back in the UK. The situation had gotten worse quite quickly. Hundreds of thousands of people were now infected with COVID-19 and tens of thousands of people had died from the virus. Despite the devastation that the virus has inflicted on our society, I still strongly believe there is a positive to every bad situation. I wanted to share some of my thoughts in case it helps to shine a light on the darkness that is the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Did we manifest this? 

So this may sound a little hippy dippy. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been reading books about ‘the universe’, but it just seems too perfect of a coincidence. Before the pandemic happened, environmental activists were up in arms about the ways in which we mistreat our beautiful planet. People were crying out for change, announcing a state of emergency, telling people and governments to ACT NOW or we’re all doomed. Well, maybe a pandemic is exactly what we needed?

The voice of humanity calling out for change in order to drastically reduce our impact on climate change has never been so loud. With the internet and social media streaming protests in cities all over the world. With TED Talks, YouTube videos, Activist Instagram accounts and Facebook pages dedicated to spreading the message. You name it, it’s all available right now on your laptop or mobile phone. And people from all backgrounds all over the world are responding and posting their thoughts, praying, hoping and wishing that something happens soon. It has to so that we might be saved from a bleak future in a dying world.

Well what if someone, something, the universe, god, whatever you want to call it actually listened to our plea. What if we’ve been given a harsh but incredibly powerful lesson. With the human population confined to their homes and not driving or travelling or trampling the earth, pollution in cities diminished earlier this year in ways that scientists believe will have lasting effects. The water in Venice was so clear that fish returned. The streets in some villages in Wales were so quiet that highland goats came down from the hills to wander along the cobbles and munch on the flowers in front gardens.

I don’t know whether I just become more observant due to the quietness of the city center in Southampton, but there definitely seemed to be a larger variety of bird song, whistling among the treetops. The sky even seemed to be a deeper shade of blue. I just hope that we can learn from this and maintain the positive effects. this has been a much needed break for our natural environment.

It proves that change can happen. It’s shown us that we need to take a step back. We need to reevaluate what we actually need and not take from the earth in excess, because it cannot cope. Let’s bring back balance. Let’s be grateful for this lesson and utilise it to the fullest. We’ve been forced to take action and the science is there to prove it works. We can’t ignore or deny it anymore.  

We all have so much to be grateful for

Speaking about valuable lessons and expressing gratitude for them, there is so much to be grateful for. For me, one of the biggest lessons this pandemic has taught me is how much stuff I take for granted. Whether it’s simply being able to walk over to the high street and browse the shops, or travelling to exotic new places around the world. We are so unbelievably lucky.

We all have a choice to live the life that we choose. When that freedom is taken away from us, I think it can really hit hard. A lot of the things that I haven’t been able to do during the many lockdowns we’ve experienced this year are really just luxuries. A lot of my friends live in London. I would probably go to the city at least twice a month to see them. I usually get to go to London, one of the world’s most rich and diverse cities, all the damn time! Not everyone can do that.

I’ve also had travel plans that I’ve had to cancel. For example, we had tickets to go to the Euros in Azerbaijan in June, which was cancelled. I had tickets for the theater and festivals that were also cancelled. These are all things that I am sad about, but they are not necessities, they are luxuries. It’s made me realise quite how privileged I am. I feel like I have nothing to complain about at all. It’s opened my mind to a whole new perspective on living a rich life. 

Staying in the UK more has also meant that I have explored more places closer to home. I enjoyed a staycation in Devon and Cornwall in September this year, which made me realise just how stunning my home country really is. It’s easy to forget how beautiful the UK is, when you’re always looking to go abroad to see new places. We enjoyed walking for miles, exploring pristine sandy beaches and quaint little coves. We marveled at cascading waterfalls and soaked up the peace and quiet of ancient woodlands. I feel in love with the the UK all over again.

Another thing I’m super grateful for this year is my friends and family. This may seem pretty obvious, but not being able to see people as much has been really difficult. I think 2020 was the first time that I didn’t see family and friends at Easter. Christmas was also very different. Both are times for celebration and family gatherings, but were instead rather quiet, although very peaceful and restful. Whatsapp and Zoom have been amazing for staying connected, but nothing beats face-to-face interaction.

Another thing worth mentioning is how I’ve benefitted as an introvert. I enjoy my own company and after social situations I need time to wind down and recharge. Since the opportunities for socialising with people this year have been far and few between, I’ve actually found that I have a lot more energy when I do see people. So that has been a personal benefit from seeing people less often. I feel more sorry for my extroverted friends. They have struggled more than me, with not seeing people as often.

I’m also really grateful for nature, for it’s therapeutic effects on my soul. I feel like I’ve spent a lot more time in nature this year. I’m going for more walks through the city parks because, well, it’s the only thing to do! I’ve found that walking purely for the enjoyment of walking as made me take in my surroundings more. Usually I would walk through the parts on the way to the pub or to work. I suppose you could say I’ve been focusing on the journey more, rather than just the destination – a metaphor perhaps.

Back in April, I spent about 20 minutes just laying on the grass on the common. I was staring up at the tree branches swaying in the wind above me and an immense sense of wonder for the natural world came over me. I felt more connected to nature than usual – an almost spiritual experience. It was as if the trees were reassuring me that nature is still very much alive. Despite everything the human race throws at it, it still carries on. Nature has some healing to do. We can be a part of it’s healing if we change mindsets and work to restore what we’ve damaged. I think humanity has a lot of healing of it’s own to do too.

It’s bringing out everyone’s creativity

More people are cooking, drawing, painting and getting creative with ways to entertain themselves, their neighbours, families and friends. This has been really beautiful to watch. In times of crisis, humanity really shines in wonderful ways. Whether it’s a person singing and playing an instrument on their balcony, or a DJ live streaming a set to their fans. Whether it’s someone discovering a new found artistic talent as a result of boredom at home. Everyone seems to be thriving in their individual isolation inspiration stations, to quote Bob Mortimer.

This year has been the perfect opportunity to pursue those creative hobbies that may have been brushed under the carpet for years. This could be for many reasons, such as not having the motivation or the time to work on them. I feel like we’re going to have a lot of new artists, writers, musicians, bloggers, designers and inventors when this is all over.

It’s bringing people together

I’ve had video calls this year with people I haven’t really seen or spoken to in years. I feel like I’ve rekindled a few old friendships.

It’s also wonderful to see so many people volunteering to help out in their communities. There are lots of people I know, looking out for the elderly and vulnerable. This could be by doing their shopping or picking up medication for them.

If you put aside the selfishness of people bulk buying in supermarkets. Let’s forget about the ridiculous chain mail that trolls put together to spread to scaremonger people for a moment. If you put aside the negativity, there is a really beautiful side of humanity that has shone through this year. The majority of people are caring, generous and willing to give up their time for others. It shows in our amazing NHS staff, in the postal service and other delivery services. It shows in the police force and in the wider community in general. We are all heroes this year for making the best of a very, very messy, scary and desperate situation. 

There are so many wonderful reasons to be happy, even in moments of despair, we can find the light.

Thank you for reading, have a beautiful day.